2. Sugar contains no fat calories, yet it causes excess calories to be stored as fat.

3. Sugar causes inflammation, and inflammatory diseases (including arthritis, fibromyalgia, colitis, Alzheimer's, diverticulitis, some forms of cancer, dermatitis, aherosclerosis, Chron's Disease) are on the rise in the U.S.

4. Sugar causes attention deficit issues.

5. Sugar contributes to mood swings.

6. Sugar weakens our immune systems.

7. Sugar stresses our cells, and depletes them of vital nutrients.

I. Pop quiz: Which of these items is considered added sugars?

high fructose corn syrup

malt

honey

fructose

glucose

brown sugar

dextrose

sucrose

Answer: all of the above

II. Pop quiz: What are the recommended amounts of added sugar intake daily for men and women?

Recommended: 9 teaspoons for men/6 teaspoons for women.

III. Pop quiz: What is the average American daily sugar intake?

Average intake: 21 teaspoons

My Verdict

As with all things, sugar is great in moderation and it is heavenly. But, in larger doses than recommended, especially as you age, sugar is the devil.

What about you? Share your verdict, and/or your personal experiences with sugar. Most of us have at least one!

Karen Nourizadeh, a “recovering attorney,” is now a yoga instructor with Pure Yoga and New York Sports Clubs as well as a writer and media contributor. Karen freed herself from law and the corporate world to help people heal themselves, mentally and physically, through yoga. Karen is completing her first work, a memoir, detailing her struggle to get out of law, find herself and fulfill her destiny. On a spiritual quest, Karen encounters a mysterious 10 year-old Indian boy, who introduced himself as “Goldie Hawn’s son.” The boy teaches Karen lessons of the heart through his pure, honest, uncalculated actions. He affirms to her what is already in her heart, and helps to free her from her worst enemy, her mind.

Karen Nourizadeh, a “recovering attorney,” is now a yoga instructor with Pure Yoga and New York Sports Clubs as well as a writer and media contributor. Karen freed herself from law and the corporate world to help people heal themselves, mentally and physically, through yoga. Karen is completing her first work, a memoir, detailing her struggle to get out of law, find herself and fulfill her destiny. On a spiritual quest, Karen encounters a mysterious 10 year-old Indian boy, who introduced himself as “Goldie Hawn’s son.” The boy teaches Karen lessons of the heart through his pure, honest, uncalculated actions. He affirms to her what is already in her heart, and helps to free her from her worst enemy, her mind.

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